How do you Cook Ribs in the Slow Cooker

Most people are used to eating ribs cooked on the barbecue, however to get succulent and tasty ribs that will cook themselves as you are busy, working, shopping visiting etc try cooking them in the slow cooker. Slow cookers, or crock pots, are a fantastic kitchen appliance that allows the home cook to cook beautiful and tender dishes from lower priced cuts of meat. The slow cooker is probably one of the most essential kitchen appliances; it is economical, as it takes less electricity to use a slow cooker rather than an oven as well as allowing the user to utilize those cheaper cuts of meat but that cooks it until incredibly tender. The cook can happily leave their meals cooking safely while out shopping or working meaning that they are greeted to the delicious aromas that escape from the cooker and are circulating around the kitchen.This recipe for delicious spicy barbecued spare ribs really does emit some incredible tantalizing smells and they taste wonderful tooThe recipe gives two huge portions of ribs, or four if being used for an appetizer; however should you want to make more simply double all the ingredients.

SLOW COOKED SPICY BARBECUED SPARE RIBS

Serves 2

INGREDIENTS

1 rack of back ribs (around 2 ½ lbs)

1 large onion, diced finely

3 cloves garlic, crushed

1” piece fresh root ginger, grated

1 tablespoon olive oil

3 tablespoons hoisin sauce

1 tablespoon tomato ketchup

1 tablespoon redcurrant jelly

1 tablespoon wholegrain Dijon mustard

1 tablespoon chilli sauce

2 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

2 teaspoons Tabasco sauce

2 tablespoons apple sauce

150g beer

Salt and ground black pepper to taste

METHOD

1. Place the oil in a small saucepan and sauté the onions, garlic and ginger for around 5 minutes over a very low heat until tender.

2. Stir in all the sauces, jelly and mustard, slowly add the beer and bring to a boil then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and black pepper if needed.

4. Cut the rack of ribs into two pieces.

5. Place one of the pieces of ribs on the bottom of the slow cooker dish; pour half the sauce over the ribs.

6. Place remaining ribs on top of sauce and pour the remaining sauce over the top.

7. Cook on high for 4 – 5 hours or low for 7 – 8 hours until the meat starts to come off the bone.

When the ribs are cooked to your liking serve hot covered with the delicious spicy and sticky sauce; if the sauce is too thin for your taste after cooking simply thicken by adding a mixture of a little cornflour (or cornstarch) and water and stir into the sauce, heat until thickened.Enjoy the ribs by eating them with your hands but have plenty of napkins available to clean those sticky fingers!